Man saves California’s oldest weekly newspaper from closure

Associated Press DOWNIEVILLE (AP) — A retiree has canceled an around-the-world trip to save California's oldest weekly newspaper, which was set to shut down when its editor retires this month. The paper began in 1853 as a twice-per-month publication; its claim to fame is that Mark Twain once wrote there under his real name, Sam Clemens. He was there hiding out from authorities in Nevada, where he had accepted a challenge to a duel after dueling had been outlawed, Don Russell, 70, the current publisher who is retiring told SFGate. Carl Butz, 71, says he is taking over the Mountain Messenger, which is based out of his hometown of Downieville and covers two rural counties northeast of Sacramento. Terms of the deal were not immediately disclosed. "I've been a widower for three years and